New York Islanders forward Thomas Vanek has been named the captain of the Austrian Olympic hockey team for the Sochi Games.

According to the report from Pro Hockey Talk, which cites Vanek’s website, he will replace current captain Thomas Koch, who will be one of the two assistant captains along with Matthias Trattnig. Koch and Trattnig both apply their trade in the Austrian Erste Bank Hockey League with Klagenfurter AC and EC Red Bull Salzburg, respectively. Vanek was an assistant captain at the 2013 World Championships.

Thomas Vanek (AP Photo)

The decision is not surprising. Vanek is the team’s best player, on a squad that features few NHL weapons (the others being Michael Grabner and Michael Raffl). Austria’s coach Manny Viveiros essentially said as much- as quoted from Vanek’s website: “Vanek is a star player for us and also in the NHL, that’s enough to make him captain. He is a role-model for all young players in Austria.”

As for Koch? He was quoted on Vanek’s site as well: “I am captain of the KAC, Thomas was captain in Buffalo, that’s a level above me and no problem for us.”

“Was” of course, since Vanek was traded to the Islanders earlier this season, but the logic, is sound.

Overall, it’s unlikely to make much of a difference for Austria as they face a difficult road out of the first round. They are in Group B, which also features Canada, Finland and Norway where only the top two teams qualify for the second round. Still, it's a huge honor for Vanek, likely made even sweeter by the fact this is Austria hockey’s first appearance in the Olympics since a 12th place finish at the 2002 games in Salt Lake City.